Head of Finance (Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS))

Finance, Infrastructure & Commercial Services (FICS)

This full time post is available immediately on a permanent basis.

Summary of the role

This role is responsible for the Faculty’s financial performance, reporting and financial management.  Reporting to the Assistant Director of Finance and responsible to the Director of Faculty Operations (HASS), you will be the lead financial advisor to the Faculty’s senior leadership, as well as leading on its management accounting, budgeting and forecasting outputs. You will directly manage a Faculty Management Accounting team in producing accurate, timely monthly management accounts, periodic forecasts, and year end reports, providing insight and analysis on faculty financial and budgetary performance.  You will lead the preparation of the Faculty’s business plan to tight deadlines, liaising with other professional services and Faculty colleagues as required.

The role will support the Faculty Executive Board with strategic planning, developing new business opportunities and proactively offering performance insight to inform Board decision making. This is a key role suitable for someone with an inquisitive and analytical mind-set with close attention to detail.  You will be a natural communicator and comfortable influencing both academic leaders as well as finance colleagues.  Experience of being an effective operator within a complex finance operation would be an advantage.

The successful candidate will be a qualified and confident accountant with proven experience in managing effective relationships in a business partnering role, able to demonstrate excellent communication skills, team leadership skills and be comfortable with working in a changing environment and managing change.

This role offers the opportunity for hybrid working – some time on campus and some from home.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

Benefits

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

• 41 days leave per year
• options for flexible working
• numerous discounts at leading retailers
• onsite gyms on all of our campus’ and a cycle to work scheme
• sector leading policies around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to six weeks full pay) and a new Fertility Treatment Policy
• stunning campus environments in Exeter and Cornwall, in the beautiful South West of England

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 150 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022 and QS World University Ranking 2022).  

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

With over 27,000 students and 6,400 staff from 180 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer. Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community. Reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Further information

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Joe Wall [email protected] to arrange a Teams call. 

Please include in your application a  CV and covering letter of no more than 400 words.

First interviews are scheduled for 18th April and second round 28th April.